Shannon Sharpe, Class of 2011

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The Denver Broncos selected Shannon Sharpe out of Savannah State in the seventh round of the 1990 NFL Draft. He retired 14 seasons later as the all-time leader in catches, yards and touchdowns by a tight end.

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His breakout year came during his third season when he led the Broncos in receiving with 53 catches for 640 yards to earn his first of eight Pro Bowl nods.

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In 1993, he was named first-team All-Pro for the first of four times after catching 81 passes for 995 yards and scoring 9 touchdowns. He followed that performance with a career-high 87 receptions in 1994.

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AP

Sharpe left the Broncos in 2000 and signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an unrestricted free agent. It was while with Baltimore in 2001 that Sharpe surpassed Hall of Famer Ozzie Newsome to become the NFL’s record holder for receptions and receiving yards by a tight end.

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AP

After two seasons with the Ravens he returned to Denver and played two final years with the Broncos. He became the career leader in touchdowns by a tight end in his final season.

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He played in 204 regular season games and started in four AFC championship games. He was the starting tight end in Denver’s back-to-back Super Bowl titles (XXXII and XXXIII) and the Ravens’ Super Bowl XXXV victory.

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Sharpe led the Broncos in receiving six times and the Ravens once. He was named first-team All-Pro and All-AFC in 1993, 1996, 1997 and 1998 and was selected to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1990s.

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Sharpe had 60 or more catches in a season 10 times in his final 11 years. The only time he failed to have 60 catches in a season during the span came in his injury-shortened 1999 season.

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Sharpe was named first-team All-Pro four times.

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Sharpe tied a playoff record with 13 catches against the Raiders in the '93 posteason. His 96-yard TD reception in 2000 AFC Championship Game as a member of the Ravens is the longest in playoff history.

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In all, Sharpe played in 204 regular season games in his career.

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Shannon had 62 catches for 814 yards and 4 TDs in 18 playoff games.

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An elated Sharpe attempts to put into words what it means to be a Hall of Famer.

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He took a moment to collect himself during the NFL Network special that announced the Class of 2011 on the day before Super Bowl XLV.

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Shannon was overcome by emotion moments after learning he had been elected to the Hall of Fame.

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Shannon talks with Sirius NFL Radio following the Hall of Fame announcement show on Saturday, Feb. 5, 2011.

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Sharpe wore #81 with Denver in 1991 and #82 during his two years with Baltimore. Other than that, he wore his familiar #84.

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Shannon had 3 TD catches in a game twice in his career.

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Sharpe had 1,000-yard seasons in 1994, 1996 and 1997.

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Sharpe had 20 career games with 100 or more yards receiving, 19 of them in the regular season.

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Shannon had 675 of his 815 career receptions with the Broncos.

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Sharpe had 100-yard games against the Raiders in back-to-back weekends. He had 115 yards on 6 catches in the 1993 season finale and then 13 receptions for 156 yards in the wild-card game the next week.

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Sharpe's lone 200-yard game of his career came against the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 10, 2002 when he had 12 catches for 214 yards and 2 TDs.

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Sharpe's lone 200-yard game of his career came against the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 10, 2002 when he had 12 catches for 214 yards and 2 TDs.

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Sharpe was productive until the end. He had 62 catches for 770 yards and 8 TDs in his final season in 2003.

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Shannon Sharpe (left) and Marshall Faulk at Super Bowl XLV. The Class of 2011, elected the day before, participated in the pre-game coin toss.

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Sharpe signs some collectibles that will be sold only through the Hall of Fame store. "HOF '11" now accompanies his signature!

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Sculptor Blair Buswell measures Shannon as the first step in creating his bronze bust.

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Sharpe gets measured for his Hall of Fame gold jacket.

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Shannon speaks at a private luncheon on the Monday after the Super Bowl much to the enjoyment of Richard Dent (left) and Hall of Fame staff and spouses.